Tech grants for nonprofits: Google Ad Grants, Microsoft, and more

Technology donations don't get the attention cash grants do, but they can be worth thousands of dollars a year to a small nonprofit, and some are far easier to get than any foundation grant. The catch is that programs change often, eligibility rules are strict, and at least one major program, Google Ad Grants, comes with ongoing compliance requirements that trip up many organizations.

This page summarizes what the major programs offer as of October 2026, based on each company's own published information. We've left out details we couldn't verify from official sources. Always check the provider's current page before you apply.

At a glance

Google for Nonprofits

Google for Nonprofits is the umbrella program for Google's nonprofit offers, including Ad Grants and Google Workspace for Nonprofits.

Eligibility (US)

According to Google's eligibility guidelines:

• Organizations must be registered with the IRS as exempt under section 501(c)(3), or hold group exempt status through a central organization with 501(c)(3) designation.
• All organizations must be verified by Goodstack, Google's validation partner.
• Not eligible: governmental entities; healthcare organizations (though charitable foundations affiliated with hospitals may qualify); and schools, academic institutions, and universities (though their philanthropic arms can be eligible).
• Fiscally sponsored organizations are not currently eligible unless they hold their own 501(c)(3) status.

Google Ad Grants

Ad Grants gives qualifying nonprofits up to $10,000 USD per month of in-kind search advertising. Key facts from Google's FAQ:

• Ads are text ads on Google search results only. Image, video, and remarketing ads require a paid Google Ads account.
• There's no monthly spending requirement, and unused budget doesn't carry over.
• You can run Ad Grants and a paid Google Ads account at the same time; grant ads appear in a separate auction below paid ads.

Ad Grants compliance rules

This is where many nonprofits lose their grants. Google's Ad Grants Policy Compliance Guide requires, among other things:

• 5% click-through rate (CTR) each month. If your account misses this for two consecutive months, it may be temporarily deactivated.
• No single-word keywords, except brand keywords, certain approved medical conditions, and other specified exceptions.
• No keywords with quality scores of 1 or 2. Pause or remove them.
• No overly generic keywords (Google's examples include "free videos," "e-books," and "today's news").
• At least two ad groups per campaign, each with closely related keywords, ads, and landing pages.
• At least two sitelink assets.
• Valid conversion tracking for accounts created since January 2018 and accounts using Smart Bidding, reporting at least one conversion per month, with an accurate setup.
• Respond to the annual program survey, sent to the account login email.
• Follow all standard Google Ads policies and website requirements.

Google Workspace for Nonprofits

Google offers a no-cost Google Workspace for Nonprofits edition, and eligible organizations can upgrade to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, or Enterprise Plus at discounted nonprofit prices. Check Google's current discount page for pricing.

Microsoft

Microsoft's nonprofit program changed in 2025. Microsoft retired its Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Office 365 E1 grant offers. As of October 2026, Microsoft's nonprofit offers page lists:

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic: free for up to 300 users, including web and mobile apps, Teams, and 1 TB of cloud storage per user
• Microsoft 365 Business Premium at a discounted nonprofit price ($5.50 per user per month, paid yearly, as listed)
• Discounted pricing on other Microsoft 365 plans, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, Copilot, and security add-ons
• Azure grant: $2,000 in Azure services credits per year for eligible nonprofits

Prices and offers change, so confirm the current terms on Microsoft's nonprofit offers page and check Microsoft's eligibility requirements before you register.

Salesforce

Through the Power of Us program, Salesforce says any eligible nonprofit receives 10 free Salesforce licenses (Nonprofit Cloud, now branded Agentforce Nonprofit, or Sales/Service Cloud) and discounts on additional products.

Ten free licenses is a generous start, but don't confuse free licenses with a free implementation. Configuring Salesforce for fundraising and programs often requires an implementation partner or skilled staff, and costs can add up. Plan the total cost before you commit.

Canva for Nonprofits

Canva gives eligible nonprofits free access to Canva Pro premium features for one team of up to 50 members, with additional seats available at a discount through Canva Enterprise, according to Canva's help center. That includes premium images, videos, music, and graphics; designs with transparent backgrounds; brand kit features; and team collaboration tools.

Canva says organizations such as sports clubs, professional associations, and businesses aren't eligible, and that verification usually takes about 72 hours. Check Canva's country-specific eligibility guidelines before applying.

TechSoup

TechSoup is a nonprofit that partners with technology companies to provide donated and discounted products to eligible organizations. The process:

1. Register at TechSoup and add your organization.
2. Go through TechSoup's validation process.
3. Browse the catalog or use its eligibility quiz. Each partner sets its own eligibility rules.
4. Pay TechSoup's administrative fee for most offers. Some offers are "access to discounted rates," where you pay TechSoup's fee plus costs to the partner.

TechSoup says its admin fees support its operations, including eligibility verification and fulfilling requests. Note that most programs have strict no-refund policies, so read offer details carefully.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

The AWS Nonprofit Credit Program offers eligible nonprofits up to $5,000 in AWS promotional credit, distributed through TechSoup for US-based nonprofits. Organizations can request one grant per fiscal year (July 1 to June 30), and credits are valid for at least a year or until used. AWS credits are most useful if you have a specific cloud project, such as hosting, data storage, or a database, and someone who knows how to manage AWS costs.

Should you get help managing Ad Grants?

Ad Grants can drive real traffic to volunteer, event, and program pages, but it's an advertising account like any other, and it needs regular attention. Consider your options honestly:

• Manage it in-house if someone on staff or a skilled volunteer has Google Ads experience and can commit a few hours a month.
• Get pro bono or volunteer help from a marketing professional, ideally someone who will document the account structure so you aren't stuck if they leave.
• Hire a specialist if Ad Grants is central to your outreach. Get a clear scope, a monthly report that includes CTR and conversions, and administrative access that stays with your organization.

Whatever you choose, your organization should own the account and keep admin access. If a vendor controls the only login, you can lose the account when the relationship ends.

Before you apply: a quick readiness check

• Your legal name, EIN, and address match your IRS records.
• You have an official email domain and a working, secure website (Ad Grants has website quality requirements).
• You know who will own each account and manage renewals.
• You've listed the tools you actually need, and checked which programs cover them.
• Your board or leadership knows what you're signing up for, including any ongoing costs after free licenses.

How to get the most from tech programs

1. Get your validation in order first. Most programs require your own 501(c)(3) status and a validation through a partner like Goodstack or TechSoup. Make sure your legal name, EIN, and address match your IRS records exactly.
2. Start with real needs. Free software you don't use is still a cost in time.
3. Assign an owner. Someone should manage renewals, compliance (especially for Ad Grants), and user access.
4. Budget for implementation and training. Free licenses rarely mean free setup.
5. Recheck annually. Offers change, as Microsoft's 2025 changes show.
6. Record in-kind contributions properly. Check with your auditor on whether and how to record donated software and services in your financial statements.

Bottom line

Tech donations are among the easiest wins available to eligible nonprofits. Start with Google for Nonprofits and Microsoft if you're setting up basic tools, add Canva for design and Salesforce if you need a CRM and have implementation capacity, and use TechSoup for everything else. If you activate Google Ad Grants, treat compliance as a monthly task, not a one-time setup.

For other kinds of company support, see corporate giving. If you're thinking about AI tools in your grant work, see AI and grant writing.